Magnetic ore separator



Aug. 10, 1954 J. H. JOHNSTONE 2,535,967

MAGNETIC ORE SEPARATOR Filed May 25, 1955 v v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L LL HHJames HQ Job ns/one IN V EN TOR.

Fig.4

g- 10, 1954 J. H. JOHNSTONE MAGNETIC ORE SEPARATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed May 25, 1953 James H. Jbhns/one INVENTOR.

BY W Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a magnetic separating apparatus that isdesigned to separate non-magnetic ore bearing materials from magneticore bearing materials and is more particularly constructed to provide amagnetic ore separator for separating the rare metals such as gold andplatinum and the like from granular material containing both magneticand nonmagnetic ores.

At present, in Working rare metal bearing ore beach sands, the sandscontinually shift and no economically efficient ore separation apparatusis available which is portable, whereby it can be moved from place toplace in accordance with the shifting sands.

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide amagnetic ore separator of light weight and separable construction whichis easily transported and set up for operation.

Another very important object of the present invention is to provide amagnetic ore separator wherein a unique magnetic pulley is providedwhich utilizes permanentmagnets necessitating no electrical connectionsand substantially reducing the weight of the pulley over any comparableprior art device.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a magneticore separating apparatus, including a main supporting frame and anauxiliary frame carrying the magnetic pulley which is removablyandadjustably mounted on the main supporting frame whereby the tension,elevation and length of the runs on the separator conveyor belt may bevaried to meet the needs and desires of the operator of the apparatus.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features which willlater become apparent as the following description proceeds, areattained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which isshown by way of example only in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top elevational view of the magnetic separatorconstituting the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the invention with parts beingshown in cross section for clarity of detail;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the invention taken substantially alongthe plane of section line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the magnetic pulley of the presentinvention taken substantially along section line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the pulley taken substantiallyalong section line 55 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail wherein likereference numerals are utilized to designate similar parts throughoutthe various views, the magnetic separating apparatus constituting thepresent invention is designated in its entirety by the numeral Ill.

The apparatus is of extremely light weight construction and is designedprimarily for following rich ore veins which are not permanent enough orpresent in a sufiicient amount to warrant the construction of a.permanent separating plant for their processing from the beach sands.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1-3' of the drawings, theconstruction of the separating apparatus will be most clearly observed.The apparatus comprises generally a main frame l2 of substantiallyrectangular configuration and including legs l4 and It at the endsthereof respectively. The legs I i and are arranged in pairs with eachpair of legs being connected at their upper ends to one another by thecross beams or braces l8 and 20 and at their lower ends by the crossbraces 22 and 25 respectively. Thus, each end section constitutes arectangular frame as designated by the legs i l, and cross beams 18 and22 or their opposite end members designated by the numerals i5, 29 and24.

Mounted on top of the ends of the sections and extending therebetweenare a pair of parallel,

longitudinally extending beams 26 which form the top of the mainsupporting frame I2. As will be noted particularly from Figures 2 and 3,the beams 26 are mounted on top of the cross braces l8 and 20 of the endsections whereby they in effect form guide tracks for a purpose thatwill subsequently appear.

The forward'ends 28 of the beam extend beyond the cross beam l8 and havetransversely aligned bearings or pillow blocks 36 mounted thereon. Adrive shaft 32 is journalled in the bearings 36 and is connected at oneend to a suitable power source (not shown). Centrally on the drive shaft32 is secured a drive pulley 34.

Removably mounted between the longitudinal beams 26 is an auxiliaryframe designated in its entirety by the numeral 36. The auxiliary frameconstitutes a pair of transversely spaced, parallel, longitudinallyextending main frame members 38 interconnected at their ends to oneanother by cross frame members 40 and 42 respectively.

The side or main frame members 38 of the auxiliary frame 36 are spacedapart from one relation to one another. retained in such relation by asuitable plastic closes t e s ets l2 .Withinthe ma n ieip l another adistance less than the longitudinal beams 26 are spaced apart from oneanother so that the auxiliary frame 36 may slide between thelongitudinal beams 26. Intermediate the ends of the side frame member 38are mounted bearing blocks 44 within which the ends of driven shaft 45extending between the members 38 are journalled. Centrally on the drivenshaft 46 is mounted the magnetic pulley 48. Additional bearing blocks51! are mounted adjacenti theforward ends of the frame members 6-8andidler shaft 52 extending between the members 38 has its endsjournalled in the bearing blocks 50. Idler pulley 54 is mounted on theidler shait 52.

As will be noted from the drawings, the rearward end of the auxiliaryframe 36=rests=directly upon the cross beam 26. Thetforwardelld of theframe 25 includes a supporting bar or strap 56 which is secured to thecross memberL-M thy means of the vertically'projecting fastener 58.

IIfhe ends. of the'bar 5,6 rest.=on;the-t9p of the beams 25 to supportthe front end of theauxiliary .frame 376 on the supporting frame 12.Bysuitably adjustin th fast er 8, th f ward nd of the-fr m 3.5 may he asedendl we d- At the rearward ends, theside frame members 38 ;of theauxiliaryframe 33:.a11eprovided ,Wlth downturned end flanges 6E3.hdjustingscigewsfl extend through these endflangesfifi and abut thecross beam 2;; whereby the auxiliary-frame 8 may be movedforwardandmearwardly.

Endlessconveyor belt 64 is entrainedqver the p ll ys 3 ,..3t an fil h lsth and el ation of t upp r ungof the te maybe centrelled by suitableadjustmenton the fasteners .58 and l '52 on the auxiliary frame 36.

.The ma net c pu y 4B is .e mp sed essentially of a pair ofsemiecircular sections 66 of non-magnetic material joinedto one anotherby suitable fastening means (SE-as shown in Figure ,4 to form a wheel.Discs having a radius somewhat greater than the tradius of ,the wheelformed by the sections fifi are providedas side plates whereby acircumferential channel is provided around the rim of the wheel. A ;plu-

rali y of permanent block ma n ts-1: aredi n d within the channelincircumferentiallyspaced Th imaan t 1 are filler such asplasterof,Parisorthe lilge. A b and of aluminum e or other suitablep lon,agnetic m r al fo ms a c ver f .th leh nnelandea ley 48. It isunderstood thatzthamaterials uti ed 7 vpulley2918;;the;rear metalbearing portions of the sand will-not be affected by the magnetic fieldset up by the magnetic pulley 48 and will fall into a suitablereceptacle 82 as that portion of the conve qrlbelt 64 passes the pointat which a freely falling body would be released therefrom.

'"fEhe magnetic ore bearing particles, however,

areretainedQnthe conveyor belt by the action of *the magnetic held untilthat portion of the conveyorlbelt passes completely through the magneticfield upon which event, the magnetic tail- .i lgs are ath ed Elna searat ece tac .:From. th e es inad e ript en, the onstru .t m and op raon. of th inv nti n will .b d- .ily appar nt- H w ve s nce num r us.moll .fieafiensand chans s will readily o c t t s skilled in theartafter a carefulperusalof the iq ese ns speeifiea iontake n con nc ionwith theeeeomnanyins awin ,.it -I desired to limit the invention to theexact construction lshownand described. But, all suitable.,modifi-.;catio ns maybe resorted ,to which fall .within the scop of .theapn dcaim- Whatis claimed as new isas follows:

In a} magnetic ore separator, a portable frame adapted'to be mounted .Ona main supporting frame, said p rtabl frameeQmpriSiI E aipair f sid ram.member eonnected. at th -end b .fron n iear, cross.memb s,.a ma ne i puy i urnales e s id fra e interm dia t e end -.th r .of, .a ve t ee y roectin threadedi est s u ed t v t e. .centralper en f sa fr nt cros .m mer an a l ngated a .adius abl cured t said .fafieeerseid :ha having. itsend eumf renti l v ab ut, the p rinhery s P l -W A L References 'Citedjnthe file of this patent UNITED QSTA'EES (PATENT Number Name Date 432,823Finney- 'J-uly-22,-1-890 "255875-891 "Potthofi Mar.-4, -2

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 72,080 ;Germany Feb..18,.1939

